"Seize the throne of England? Isn't this illegal?"
William III clearly wanted it in his heart, but he still said "illegal". This was indeed a European military oligarch with a strong sense of the rule of law!
"How can it be illegal?" said the Earl of Shaftesbury, the leader of the Whig Party. "Parliament is in our hands and the laws are made by us. If we say you are legal, you will be legal! Not only legal, but honorable! You are not You invaded the UK to seize the throne for your personal lust for power. You invaded the UK to protect the spirit of the rule of law and became king with the support of the British Parliament. This is not a despicable invasion, this is a glorious revolution!"
The leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is indeed a eloquent speaker. He can make dead things seem alive and smelly things seem sweet.
William III, a governor of the United Provincial Republic of the Netherlands, did not govern properly in his own country, so he took tens of thousands of mercenaries across the sea to England to defend the spirit of British rule of law. The British rule of law did not concern him as a nanny. What's the matter with Teresa's administration? In the process, he also drove away the King of England, and then became the King of England himself. This was not an invasion, but a glorious revolution!
This statement is really strange!
According to this standard, could Louis XIV also send troops to Madrid to drive away the idiot King Carlos II of Habsburg, and then become the monarch of Spain himself? Is this a glorious revolution?
Could Emperor Zhu San of the Ming Dynasty send troops to invade Japan, kill the emperor, and then become emperor himself? This would be quite honorable, right?
William III still seemed a little undecided and looked back at his wife, Princess Mary.
Princess Mary looked excited, blinked her eyes, and said with a smile: "My dear, of course this is a glorious revolution! My uncle could have become a glorious defender of the British spirit of rule of law, using his royal power and sacred British laws Attacking Catholics in England, Scotland and Ireland. But he wanted to stand with these despicable Catholics and give these untouchables the same power as the Anglicans. He may even have secretly converted to Catholicism himself , becoming a servant of the Pope. This is the greatest betrayal of the British spirit of freedom and rule of law. All Anglicans will oppose him as long as we can bring out a strong army and give a certain number of captains to the British navy. The subsidy will ensure that we can successfully enter London. In the process, we will probably not encounter any resistance, because the officers of the British Army are almost all loyal Anglicans."
The princess's confidence is not unreasonable. Britain in this era is not a beacon of civilization and progress, but a country that combines politics and religion, similar to Persia in later generations.
The powerful Protestants suppressed Puritanism and Catholicism very harshly. The former was in the same group as Cromwell and was also very extreme. When he was in power, he banned all entertainment activities and made the entire country miserable. Puritan-style life, now they can no longer stay in the British mainland, they have gone to the New World to slaughter Indians. Later, through hard work, they finally counterattacked and became the "beautiful fathers" of the British Empire.
The latter can continue to be second-class citizens in the UK and do not have to be so for too long. After all, the spirit of the rule of law in the UK is constantly improving. Therefore, the discriminatory provisions against Catholics in the British legal system were gradually abolished. Well, they were finally completely abolished in 2013!
What a progress!
But it is still 1682, and British Catholics are still suppressed second-class citizens. The Protestants control the Parliament with their numerical and financial advantages, and the British army, navy and local militia, including the militia of Ireland, where Catholics are everywhere, All were under the firm control of the Protestants.
The British Protestants who controlled the Parliament, Navy, and Army, as well as the Whigs and Tories controlled by the Protestant aristocrats and capitalists, would never give Catholics a chance to stand up.
If British Catholics (including Irish Catholics) want to make a comeback, they can probably only count on the two sons of Charles I, Charles II and the Duke of York (James II in history). World), for the sake of everyone believing in one Heavenly Father (the Roman Heavenly Father), can he help everyone and give them equal status?
Therefore, Charles II and the Duke of York are a thorn in the side of the British political and military circles. The king is also very tired and may die if he is not careful.
However, the British political and military circles were fed up with Cromwell, and they did not want another barbaric warlord who could torture everyone to death by relying on the strength of his gun. Their ideal monarch would have a gun. , has blood, is a Protestant, and preferably someone who can bring a lot of capital and technology to Britain.
William III and his wife, Princess Mary, clearly fit all of the above criteria!
After getting his wife's approval, William III had one last question: "What about the Duke of York? He is the first legal heir to the British throne!"
This is a problem!
Charles II ran away, and there was still James II! That is to say, Princess Mary's father is now the Duke of York, and he is the Supreme Councilor of Scotland, the Commissioner of Scotland.
"He is an almost openly Catholic!" Whig leader Earl Shaftesbury said through gritted teeth, "If he is allowed to be king, he will definitely be a Charles I!"
"But he is Mary's father after all."
William III looked at his wife, Princess Mary: "If the Duke of York mobilizes the British troops in Scotland to go south to fight us, what should we do?"
This matter is indeed more difficult to handle!
Beating him to death is definitely inappropriate! After all, he was the father-in-law of William III. It would not be good to beat someone to death in order to fight for the throne.
But it’s not appropriate to fight without fighting to death. It’s best not to show mercy!
In particular, William III was an invader after all. He was the ruler of the United Provincial Republic of the Netherlands. He led tens of thousands of German-speaking German mercenaries into the UK with the intention of seizing the throne. This was done smoothly and smoothly. That is glorious. revolution! If James II can't be beaten to death or run away, his momentum may rise.
By then, the Glorious Revolution might have turned into James II's anti-aggression struggle.
Princess Mary, a good daughter, smiled coldly and said to William III: "Dear, do you remember that John Churchill?"
"John Churchill?" William III nodded, "If I remember correctly, he is your father's confidant, right? His sister seems to be your father's mistress, right?"
"But he is also an Anglican Protestant," Princess Mary said, "and he is also a smart man who knows where to stand at critical junctures in history!"
William III thought for a while and asked again: "Dear, are you sure?"
"Absolutely!" Princess Mary said, "As long as you can lead a strong enough army to land in England, he will definitely size up the situation, stand on our side, and arrange for my father to escape to France."
"Okay!" William III finally made up his mind and laughed, "I happen to have a strong enough army on hand, with a large number of people, well-equipped and well-trained. And I also have sufficient military expenditures! I can combine the army and military expenditures Take them all to England!”
He is going to England with his army and military funds borrowed from bankers in Amsterdam, and his wife Princess Mary!
Upon hearing his words, the Whig leader, the Earl of Shaftesbury, immediately said to William III: "If the Tory leaders and Bishop Compton learn of this news, they will definitely support your righteous deed!"
William III nodded: "Earl, please tell them my and Mary's decision. No later than April, a glorious revolution will sweep across the UK. After the victory of this revolution, the two countries, Britain and the Netherlands, will A maritime overlord will become a co-king alliance.
The world's first and second navies will be completely united, and the sea will belong to us, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, while France and the Ming Dynasty can only be suppressed by us on land forever! "
The leader of the Whig Party, the Earl of Shaftesbury, nodded heavily: "Great! This is what London is looking forward to!"
The leader of the Whig Party was so confident that William III would take over Britain. On the one hand, it was because the Protestant forces in the United Kingdom extremely hated Charles II and James, Duke of York; on the other hand, it was also because British capital was eager to join forces with the Netherlands - because The news that Ming Dynasty and France jointly formed the American Empire and prepared to conduct east-west trade through the "Pacific-North American Continent-Atlantic" trade line made London capitalists who also relied on overseas trade to amass wealth very anxious.
However, the strength of the British family is not enough to cut off this trade line across the Pacific, North American continent and the Atlantic. Forming a close alliance with the Netherlands and jointly attacking the maritime power of the Ming Dynasty and France is the most feasible and safe way.
After all, Britain and France are separated by the English Channel, and the Netherlands is connected to France by land.
Therefore, France must invade the Netherlands first, and then consider invading Britain.
Once the Netherlands is invaded by France, Amsterdam's banking, shipbuilding, metallurgical industries, and abundant capital will definitely flee to Britain, which is alone on the side of the European continent.
The desperate resistance of the Netherlands will greatly weaken the military strength of Louis XIV. Waiting for the Netherlands to fight to the last man, Britain can still try to negotiate a peace with Louis XIV. Britain will not lose anything!
Rome, Italy.
The situation in Europe is really getting more and more chaotic!
Just when Forsansky and Fat Sofia were planning to "cross the Black Sea in white", and William III and Princess Mary were planning to help Charles II and James, Duke of York, "glorify", Rome, the stronghold of Catholicism, was once again occupied.
This time, the army that invaded Rome was not the French army of "God's true filial son", but the Spanish army of "God's true filial son". Moreover, it was an army personally led by Spanish Prime Minister Juan Jose. The number of people was as many as 15,000, which was larger than the army last time. LGBT Duke Philip I led twice as many troops.
But for Rome, which had a city without defenses, there was actually no difference between an army of 5,000 and an army of 15,000. Both would win without a fight and open the city without blood.
On February 14, 1682, Juan José, "whose ancestors have been sent to hell for generations", angrily appeared in the Vatican Palace where Pope Innocent XI lived, and saw a Father Pope looked very depressed and mentally damaged.
Originally, he came to call for punishment, but he was shocked to see an almost collapsed Pope.
"What happened to Dad?" Juan Jose asked, "Did he be tortured like this by Louis XIV?"
When he spoke, he felt a little weak.
If the Pope couldn't stand the torture of Louis XIV and was forced to say that Juan Jose's ancestors have gone to hell for generations, then the fault lies with Louis XIV. Jose brought so many troops to threaten him. Father Pope, will Heavenly Father and Brother Heavenly be angry if he finds out?
When he was really worried, the pope's father, who looked very depressed, suddenly shouted loudly: "Heavenly Father is angry, Heavenly Father is angry."
Really angry?
Juan Jose still believes more in Heavenly Father and Heavenly Brother—he is a Spaniard!
So when I heard the Pope say this, I was immediately frightened. But then the pope's father started crying again: "Heavenly Father ignores me! I have no way to communicate with Heavenly Father."
Oh, it turns out that Heavenly Father and Brother Heavenly are angry with you!
Juan Jose looked at this hateful Pope and said in his heart: That’s right! How dare you say that my father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-uncle went to hell. Now that Heavenly Father and Brother Heaven don’t want you, you should go to hell too!
Thinking of this, Juan Jose, who was wearing armor and accompanied by a group of German mercenaries who did not believe in God, sternly said to the Pope: "Innocent XI, since you can't communicate with the Father, then you You are no longer worthy of being the Pope. I order you to resign as Pope immediately! The Roman Catholic Church needs a Pope who can be recognized by the Father!"
As soon as he said these words, there was an uproar in the hall of the Vatican Palace, and the entire College of Cardinals exclaimed.
"Prime Minister, what are you talking about?"
"You want to depose Papa Pope?"
"Father, the Prime Minister of Spain wants to depose your spokesman on earth."
"Prime Minister, you can't do this, please take back your order!"
These cardinals actually hope that the Pope’s father can return to the embrace of Heavenly Father as soon as possible. This way they will have the opportunity to run for the new Pope!
But the problem is, Juan Jose wants to depose the Pope!
This is something even Louis XIV would not dare to do! How dare Juan Jose?
And once Juan Jose sets this precedent, will Louis XIV also come to Rome to establish another pope?
You have a Spanish Prime Minister and a French King taking turns leading troops into Rome to depose the Pope. Isn't this a bit "dethroning the Pope"?
The nephew of Innocent XI, Cardinal Antonio Otescalchi, immediately stood up: "Prime Minister, you have no power to do this. If you want the Pope to announce that your ancestors have gone to heaven, or you want to The Pope declares that the Papal Meridian continues to be valid, just raise it. But deposing the Pope is absolutely not an option.”
Halfway through his words, he suddenly stopped because he saw Juan Jose, with red eyes, had drawn out his sword.
This is about to commit murder!
At this critical moment, Innocent XI, who was in a daze, suddenly shouted again: "Heavenly Father, Heavenly Father has spoken to me. He said that I am guilty and should not continue to be a priest. Zong!"
As soon as Juan Jose heard what Heavenly Father had said, he quickly put away his sword, then knelt down on one knee and made the sign of the cross on his chest to show respect for Heavenly Father.
At this time, Innocent XI, who looked a little out of his mind, stood up, then personally took off his triple crown, placed it on his throne, and then staggered out of the hall of the Vatican Palace. Go and shout loudly to the Spanish soldiers and Roman citizens standing outside: "Heavenly Father says that I have sinned and should not continue to be the Pope! I am no longer the Pope of Rome."
At this time, a cardinal suddenly asked: "The Pope's father is no longer the Pope's father, so what should he be?"
"The Holy Father!" Cardinal Antonio Otezcalchi immediately took over the question, and then he said to Juan Jose, "Prime Minister, do you think this is okay?"
Juan Jose originally wanted to chop up Innocent XI, but now that Innocent XI has been removed from office by God’s Father’s initiative, it would not be appropriate to chop him up and send him to Heavenly Father!
Maybe Heavenly Father didn’t want Innocent to go up to meet him, which was against Heavenly Father’s will, because he was going to hell!
Thinking of this, he nodded: "Okay, let's start the process of electing the pope. I will wait here for the new pope to be born!"
He had to wait!
Because the pope has resigned, no one can overturn what the pope announced on stage unless a new pope is elected.
The news that the Spanish Prime Minister led his troops into Rome and then "deposed" the Pope quickly reached the ears of Louis XIV, the King of France and the Eastern Emperor of the American Empire, who had returned to the town of Fontainebleau.
This news also surprised him.
He originally thought that Juan Jose would at most force the Pope to overturn the previous decision, but he did not expect that the Spanish Prime Minister would act unreasonably and depose the Pope and establish a new Pope.
Now he could no longer sit back and watch. Although the Pope was not of much use, if Juan Jose wanted to rob him, Louis XIV would have to intervene.
But at this time, there was another somewhat thorny problem in front of him-the United Kingdom on the other side of the strait was in trouble again. The Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles II, had just arrived in France and informed Louis XIV that the Dutch consul William III had assembled a large army and would invade at any time, and asked France to send troops to support Charles II.
On one side is the Holy See and on the other is London, England.
How should Louis XIV choose?
(End of chapter)
